Passengers board subway train on Line No. 2 at Gangnam Station in Seoul, July. 16. Newsis

The main labor union of Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul subway lines 1 to 8, said Monday its members have voted in favor of launching a strike to demand higher pay and a bigger workforce.

The union said a vote was held from Friday until Monday, with the participation of 7,862 out of 9,450 members (83.2 percent). Of those who participated, 5,547 (70.55 percent) voted in favor of a strike.

The union and the management held multiple rounds of negotiations until late October to settle differences over pay and hiring but failed to reach an agreement.

Unless a settlement is reached at a mediation meeting led by a government labor commission, the union said it will announce detailed strike plans during a press conference in front of City Hall on Tuesday.

Seoul Metro has offered a 2.5 percent pay increase next year, but the union has demanded a higher rate, along with the expanded hiring of new staff. (Yonhap)